Efficient data flow algorithms for autonomous lane changing, passing and overtaking behaviors

• US 9,096,267 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mudalige, Upali Priyantha, Losh, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALLACE, DONALD JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/746,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 701/28, 701/300, 701/301, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/204, 180/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A system and method for providing lane changing maneuvers in an autonomously driven vehicle. The vehicle includes a navigation controller that provides a planned route for the vehicle to follow and a vehicle controller that receives route information from the navigation controller and provides steering, braking and throttle control for the vehicle to follow the route. Either the navigation controller or the vehicle controller may initiate a lane change maneuver to cause the vehicle to be steered from a travel lane to an adjacent lane. In response to the lane change requirement, the navigation controller provides a route segment to the vehicle controller and a lane-change zone so that the vehicle controller can steer the vehicle to the adjacent lane while in the lane-change zone.

Claims

1. A method for making a lane changing maneuver in an autonomously driven vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a navigation controller on the vehicle that provides a planned route for the vehicle to follow;

providing a vehicle controller on the vehicle that receives route information from the navigation controller and provides steering, braking and throttle control for the vehicle to follow the route;

initiating a lane-change maneuver by the navigation controller that includes identifying a lane-change zone;

initiating a lane-change maneuver by the vehicle controller that includes sending a reroute request to the navigation controller;

providing route information including providing a route segment from the navigation controller to the vehicle controller in response to either the navigation controller initiated lane change or the vehicle controller initiated lane change that identifies a path in an adjacent lane and that includes the identified lane-change zone for the vehicle controller to steer the vehicle to make the lane-change maneuver; and

causing the vehicle to travel from a current roadway lane to the adjacent roadway lane.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the identified lane-change zone that identifies an area in which the vehicle controller must steer the vehicle to make the lane-change maneuver.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the navigation controller initiated lane-change maneuver is in response to a driver request for a route change.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the navigation controller initiated lane-change maneuver is in response to traffic conditions identified by the navigation controller.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle controller initiated lane-change maneuver is in response to the vehicle controller identifying an object in front of the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the vehicle controller initiated lane-change maneuver is provided to overtake a slower or stopped vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the vehicle controller initiated lane-change maneuver is a double lane-change maneuver.

8. The method according to claim 2 further comprising requesting a new route segment and a new lane-change zone from the navigation controller if the vehicle controller is unable to make the lane-change maneuver within the lane-change zone.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing a route segment from the navigation controller includes providing target nodes in the adjacent roadway lane that identify locations to which the vehicle can be steered.

10. A method for making a lane changing maneuver in an autonomously driven vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a navigation controller on the vehicle that provides a planned route for the vehicle to travel;

providing a vehicle controller on the vehicle that receives route information from the navigation controller, requests a reroute from the navigation controller when obstacles are detected in the current route, and provides steering, braking and throttle control for the vehicle to follow the route;

initiating a lane-change maneuver that includes identifying a lane-change zone; and

providing route information from the navigation controller in response to initiating the lane-change maneuver that identifies a path in the adjacent lane for the vehicle controller to steer the vehicle to make the lane-change maneuver, wherein providing route information includes providing the route segment of the identified path in the adjacent lane and providing a lane-change zone that identifies an area in which the vehicle controller must steer the vehicle to make the lane-change maneuver, wherein the vehicle is returned to the original lane once the lane-change maneuver is complete and all obstacles are clear.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein initiating a lane-change maneuver includes initiating a lane-change maneuver by the navigation controller.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the navigation controller initiated lane-change maneuver is in response to a driver request for a route change.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the navigation controller initiated lane-change maneuver is in response to traffic conditions identified by the navigation controller.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein initiating a lane-change maneuver includes initiating a lane-change maneuver by the vehicle controller, wherein the vehicle controller sends a reroute request to the navigation controller.

15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the vehicle controller initiated lane-change maneuver is in response to the vehicle controller identifying an object in front of the vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the vehicle controller initiated lane-change maneuver is provided to overtake a slower or stopped vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 10 further comprising requesting a new route segment and a new lane-change zone from the navigation controller if the vehicle controller is unable to make the lane-change maneuver within the lane-change zone.

18. The method according to claim 10 wherein providing a route segment from the navigation controller includes providing target nodes in the adjacent roadway lane that identify locations to which the vehicle can be steered.

19. A system for making a lane changing maneuver in an autonomously driven vehicle, said system comprising:

means for providing navigation control using a navigation controller on the vehicle that is programmed to provides a planned route for the vehicle to travel;

means for providing vehicle control using a vehicle controller on the vehicle that is programmed to receives route information from the navigation controller, to request a reroute from the navigation controller when obstacles are detected in the current route and to provides steering, braking and throttle control for the vehicle to follow the route;

means for initiating a lane-change maneuver that includes identifying a lane-change zone; and

means for providing route information from the navigation controller in response to initiating the lane-change maneuver using the navigation controller or the vehicle controller that identifies a path in the adjacent lane for the vehicle controller to steer the vehicle to make the lane-change maneuver, wherein the means for providing route information also provides a route segment of the identified path in the adjacent lane and providing the lane-change zone that identifies an area in which the vehicle controller must steer the vehicle to make the lane-change maneuver, wherein the vehicle is returned to the original lane once the lane-change maneuver is complete and all obstacles are clear.